Barça continues its steady pace in the Champions League with its sixth victory in six games. Although the 5 goals against Nantes (34-29) should not be confused with a placid victory; just the opposite. The Blaugrana team, uncomfortable against the French, had to suffer to lift a match in which they were in tow for 45 minutes, until Fàbregas 26-25, the best of the Catalans with 6 goals.
“It was a great match for both teams, physically we are dead. They have been one of the most difficult rivals, they have beaten PSG in the French league and they had only lost one game in the Champions League (against Kielce on matchday one)", recalled Ludo Fàbregas, who will be sorely missed in the Blaugrana set.
It took twelve minutes for Barça to get ahead against Nantes (Wanne's 6-5 against) and they continued to dominate the French team, both in play and on the scoreboard. It was the culmination of a stunning 4-0 run in less than three minutes to dampen the French start. Ortega's team had a hard time carburizing at first, it came out somewhat cold, with changes in the starting seven (Wanne and Janc at the ends) and conceded a 3-5 that left him in tow. For not too long.
As soon as he went to the race with Fàbregas, Wanne or Janc, and Nielsen made a few saves in a row, Barça found the good performance and was able to take 2 goals for rent (7-5, 10-8, 11-9). But the settlement was short-lived. Nantes, cheekily, unapologetic, cheered up with the saves by their goalkeeper Hallgrimsson and goals by Valero Rivera to recover the advantage (12-13, at 24m), taking advantage of the fact that Barça was not fine in the defensive withdrawal. Too many concessions.
Ortega did not like it, and he opted for drastic solutions: a change in goal, Gonzalo Pérez de Vargas for Nielsen (he only had 3 stops out of 16 shots), and Richardson for Cindric as the baton. It did not have an immediate effect (13-15) and he asked for time (26m58s) to change course, asking his players to play more and less directly. Richardson minimized the defeat before the break (16-17), but Barça showed many defensive weaknesses and a lack of continuity in attack.
At the start of the second half, the Blaugrana team did not improve ostensibly, too irregularly and without finding the key to recover the good game. He came to tie (20-20, Cindric), to see himself -2 (21-23), to tie again (24-24), with a lot of effort, goal by goal, and stop by stop of the reappeared Nielsen, who linked two merit actions.
The improvement of the Blaugrana defense led to counterattacks and quick goals, from Ariño or a stellar Fàbregas, who returned the advantage with the pivot's 26-25 (45m), for the first time since 12-11 in the first half ; that is to say, 23 minutes Barça was behind on the scoreboard, 45 without imposing its law.
Cindric's 29-27 put the 2 to face the last 10 minutes against a Nantes that did not let up. Barça put all its skill and good defense on the court to secure the victory. Mem's 31-28 and the penalty saved by Nielsen on Valero Rivera with 5 minutes to go provided the necessary calm to finish off the sixth win in six games. Intractable leader of group B.
On the other hand, the Blaugrana club confirmed that they will pay the well-deserved tribute to Víctor Tomàs on November 30, the day of Kiel's visit to the Palau Blaugrana (8:45 p.m.). The number 8 of the former captain, who has had to wait three years to receive his farewell from the fans, will be retired. The winger retired with a heart condition in 2020.
Barça: Nielsen, Janc (5), Mem (3), Fàbregas (6), Petrus, N'Guessan (5), Wanne (3, 1p); Aleix Gómez (3, 1p), Cindric (3), Richardson (3), Langaro, Frade (1), Ariño (1), Carlsbogard (1), Pérez de Vargas (ps).
Nantes: Hallgrimsson, Odriozola (2), Maqueda (1), De la Breteche (2), Cavalcanti (1), Rivera (5, 1p), Toto (1); Briet (8), Persson (5), Shkurisnkiy (2), Monar (1), Portela, Damatrin-Bertrand (1), Rubén Marchán.
Referees: Santos and Fonseca (Portugal). They excluded Maqueda, Monar, from Nantes, and Thiagus Petrus, from Barça
Partials: 2-3, 4-5, 8-6, 11-9, 12-13, 16-17 (rest); 20-20, 21-23, 26-25, 29-27, 31-28, 34-29.
Track: Palau Blaugrana, 3,119 spectators.
